His work as a child actor in New York in the 1980s included television commercials and a memorable turn as a teen who gets saved from drowning in the hasn’t-aged-well Billy Joel video for “You’re Only Human (Second Wind).”

So when the cast of the new show “MythBusters Jr.” arrived on a Bay Area set early this summer — six brilliant children ages 12 to 15 from around the nation — Savage had plenty to pass on.

“I had a lot of advice for them,” Savage says, during a late November interview. “We live in a fame-obsessed culture. I wanted to be famous when I was a kid and now as an adult who did get famous, I’m really glad it didn’t happen to me until I was in my 30s — until I had kids, until I’d been divorced, until life had already had a good portion of its way with me.

“One of the (things) I said was, ‘Your whole life does not come down to this. This is one episode in what will be a life that goes in places you have no idea of.’”

“MythBusters Jr.,” premiering Wednesday, Jan. 2, on the Science Channel, marks Savage’s return to the franchise, after a successful 14-year “MythBusters” run that ended in 2016 with Savage and co-host Jamie Hyneman stepping down. (“MythBusters” continues on the Discovery Channel, with new hosts Jon Lung and Brian Louden.)

Adam Savage (center) chats with Tory Fink during the series finale party for the “MythBusters” cast, crew, family and friends at Forgery in San Francisco in 2016. Photo: Leah Millis Leah Millis, The Chronicle

A visit to the “MythBusters” set at 32Ten Studios in San Rafael, the former site of the Industrial Light & Magic special effects studio, shows that a lot has remained the same.

Elements that has carried over to the “MythBusters Jr.” not only include much of the crew but the show’s scientific approach to testing urban legends. Many of the same materials (“MythBusters” staples duct tape and a crash test dummy make early “MythBusters Jr.” appearances) and a celebration of mayhem are abundant in this latest version of the show. Savage seems positively gleeful putting Cannan Huey-You, a 12-year-old in his second year of college at Texas Christian University, behind the wheel of a car with duct-tape tires.

But there’s an added Obi-Wan/Luke mentorship vibe between Savage and the newcomers. Savage’s own children, twin boys, are 20 years old now. The host said he understood both the energy of the kids and the feelings of their parents, who were often on the set. And the host was on TV, fleetingly, when he was their age.

“He is such a kid, when he can be a kid,” says Valerie Castillo, a 15-year-old junior MythBuster. “He jokes around with us when it’s time to. But at the same time he’s an adult. He takes responsibility when he has to.”

Adam Savage of “MythBusters” in his San Francisco workshop with some spacesuit costumes seen behind him in February 2016. Photo: Lea Suzuki, The Chronicle

There’s a lot of work between takes. Savage and the junior scientists collaborate for hours on a duct-tape parachute prototype (with no off-camera build team) that ultimately isn’t used in the episode.

It also quickly becomes clear that the show is “MythBusters” with kids, not “MythBusters” for kids.

“It’s not every day you get to go to an ice rink and ride a hovercraft with a fire extinguisher,” says 12-year-old cast member Elijah Horland. “It’s really fun being here.”

Allie Weber (left), 13, and Valerie Castillo, 15, watch Elijah Horland, 13, hold a duct-tape parachute they created with host Adam Savage for an episode of “MythBusters Jr.” at 32Ten Studios in San Rafael in July. Photo: Paul Chinn, The Chronicle

Savage and Hyneman always knew that children were watching the show. But Savage said he didn’t fully realize the impact until they invited legendary action director James Cameron to the set.

“He turned to us and said, ‘I want to thank you guys for the show. I don’t let my kids watch television, but I don’t consider your show as television,’” Savage remembers. “We kept hearing that over and over and over. That our show was the science class for home schoolers.”

Extra rolls of tape are kept aside while host Adam Savage and a cast of teenagers construct a parachute made from duct tape for an episode of “MythBusters Jr.” at 32Ten Studios in July. Photo: Paul Chinn, The Chronicle

Shooting for “Mythbusters Jr.” ended months ago, but during a November visit to The Chronicle to record a podcast episode for “The Big Event,” Savage says he texts the junior MythBusters regularly and continues to be inspired by their youthful energy.

After 15 years testing myths, MythBusting feels new again.

“I love every one of these kids. I love their families. I feel so close to them, and have such a sense of paternal responsibility for them,” Savage says. “Really it was one of the most creatively satisfying thing I’ve ever done, to executive produce that show.”